Teresa Stadlober had been in second much of the race, but after the wrong turn, she finished in ninth place.

Author:
Associated Press

Published:
3:30 PM CST February 25, 2018

Updated:
3:30 PM CST February 25, 2018

Austrian Teresa Stadlober had been in second place for much of the cross-country women's 30-kilometer mass start at the Pyeongchang Games on Sunday. But a wrong turn cost her the Olympic medal.

Stadlober went the wrong direction on the course and got lost with about 7 kilometers remaining. By the time she realized where she was going and got back on the course, she had lost valuable time and dropped to eighth place. She ended up finishing in ninth place.

"I don't know, I really don't know," Stadlober told the Associated Press. "I took the wrong way — and I did this twice. The second time I wasn't sure anymore. I had a blackout. I don't know why I took the wrong way."

Norway's Marit Bjoergen won the gold medal, closing out a remarkable Olympic career in dominant fashion.

Bjoergen finishes her career with 15 medals, leaving her as the most decorated athlete of the Winter Games of all time.

Contributing: TEGNA Staff

PHOTOS: Every Olympic medal won by Team USA in PyeongChang

Gold medalists the United States react during the victory ceremony following the Curling Men's Gold Medal game on day fifteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Curling Centre on February 24, 2018.

01 / 39

Gold medalists the United States react during the victory ceremony following the Curling Men's Gold Medal game on day fifteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Curling Centre on February 24, 2018.

01 / 39

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.